These, it concluded, significantly improved the confidence of GPs in advising on fitness to work, from 33% beforehand, to 79% afterwards.

Almost all of those who attended said it had a long-term effect on the way they dealt with patients.

The main barriers to providing such advice were recalcitrant patients, unco-operative employers, a lack of familiarity with the process, too few local back-to-work schemes and time constraints on patient consultations, the GPs added.

“It is arguable that roll-out will help to fill in GP knowledge gaps regarding health and work issues, and could raise the health and work issue on their agenda,” the report concluded.